In the middle of the upcoming Jewish High Holy Days, SHIR Australian Jewish Music Festival is returning to stages in Sydney and Melbourne. This year's theme, Songs of Strength, will see Jewish music ranging from musical theatre to pop, liturgical to the latest releases from Israel - including the song that propelled Yuval Raphael to second place at Eurovision, New Day Will Rise.

But behind this celebration lies a more complex story. What does it mean to create music when your very identity has become controversial? In this raw conversation, Australian music icon Deborah Conway and SHIR festival director Ben Adler reveal the personal and professional costs of being Jewish artists in post-October 7th Australia - from cancelled performances and security concerns to the artistic defiance that keeps them creating.

Articles related to this week's episode:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/if-i-have-to-pick-a-hill-to-die-on-exposing-antisemitism-among-the-good-is-the-one

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/extreme-intolerance-deborah-conway-on-the-pro-palestinian-protestors-who-wouldnt-let-her-sing

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/deborah-conway-in-conversation-with-ramona-koval

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/australian-music-video-goes-viral-in-support-of-israel

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/chutneys-debut-album-is-a-klezmer-tasting-jar

More information about SHIR:

https://www.shir.com.au/

And about Deborah and Ben's music and upcoming shows:

https://www.deborahconway.com/

https://www.chutneyband.com/

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After welcoming over one million visitors since opening its doors in 1992, the Sydney Jewish Museum is embarking on an ambitious and brave transformation that speaks directly to our tumultuous present moment.

Senior Curator Shannon Biederman shares a curator's perspective on navigating the delicate balance between preserving Holocaust testimony and celebrating living Jewish culture in the post-October 7 age. 

The week's episode is  sponsored by the Sydney Jewish Museum 

Articles related to this week's episode:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/expanded-sydney-jewish-museum-aims-to-challenge-prejudice-with-pride

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/sydney-jewish-museum-to-build-new-cultural-centre-in-major-expansion

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/video-sydney-jewish-museum-immortalises-holocaust-survivors-3d-technology

More information about the redevelopment:

https://capitalappeal.sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/

Submit your 'Chai-lights'

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Tami and Dash sit down with the incomparable Alexis Fishman: one of Australia’s most dynamic Jewish performers.

Ahead of her upcoming performance in Anne Being Frank (presented by Monstrous Theatre, Neil Gooding Productions and The Shalom Collective) Alexis talks about the politics of Jewish representation on stage and what it really takes to sustain a creative career across Australia and New York.

The interview is candid, cheeky and full of some great "Ashamed to Admits"

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/alexiss-musical-journey-new-york-amy-beyond

Buy tickets to Anne Being Frank here:

https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/theatre/anne-being-frank

Did you know Tami and Alexis are different people?

Tami: https://www.instagram.com/tami_sussman_bits/?hl=en

Alexis: https://www.instagram.com/alexis_fishman/?hl=en

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In this episode, Tami sits down with illustrator, author and all-round creative powerhouse Beck Feiner for a conversation that’s equal parts Jewy, chewy and a little bit shamey. Tami and Beck cover the full spectrum: from having proud Jewish mums and to online dating, Jewish weddings (and divorces) to why Jewish South African immigrants often find themselves the butt of jokes. They also tackle a thornier question: in the current climate, are Jewish-themed picture books still commercially possible? As always, expect a mix of light, shade and the kind of honesty that makes us just a little bit ashamed to admit…

Book tickets to Jewish & 

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/events/jewish-2

Beck’s website: 

www.beckfeinercreations.com

Articles adjacent to this episode: 

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/should-i-say-im-jewish-on-my-dating-profile

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/my-renewed-hope-for-a-changing-south-africa

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/orthodox-women-begin-sex-strike-against-divorce-refusal

Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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Tami and Dash are joined by Aussie actor and influencer Jakey Parry, who now serves in the IDF and has garnered a large following from his funny, insightful and moving videos about being a new immigrant and learning Hebrew in Israel. 

Take the TJI Quiz

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/quiz/tji-quiz-55

More from Jakey on TJI 

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/i-have-learned-orthodox-actor-is-not-an-oxymoron

Jakey's Instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/jakey_parry/

Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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Lee Kofman and her family survived Soviet persecution as refuseniks in the 1970s, but nothing could prepare her for what happened when she tried to support fellow Jewish creatives in Australia after October 7th. The acclaimed author and writing teacher created a WhatsApp group (later vilified as 'Zio600') for Jewish artists and academics, only to see the private conversations leaked and members' personal details publicly doxxed. She lost most of her teaching work overnight, but she won't be silenced. Lee caught up with Tami and Dash to discuss the chilling parallels between her childhood in the USSR and today's literary gatekeeping, and why she's channelling her energy into "Ruptured" - a powerful new collection of essays from Australian Jewish women. 

Article related to this conversation:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/reassembling-the-jewish-matryoshka-dolls-in-my-family

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/hate-on-becoming-a-bad-jew

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/australians-love-hearing-about-writers-roots-unless-theyre-israeli

More information about Lee and Ruptured:

https://leekofman.com.au/ruptured/

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What happens when two passionate Jewish educators decide to reimagine what a Jewish day school could be? Adam Hyman and Eleanor Hasenfratz are bringing a radical new vision to Melbourne's Jewish community with Beit Hillel Community School, set to open in 2026. They caught up with Tami and Dash (both parents of kids in prep) to discuss their vision and why they think Melbourne's Jewish community is ready for this unique model of education. 

Article related to this conversation:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/an-alternative-jewish-school-for-melbourne

More information about the school:

https://beithillelschool.com/

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What does it mean to be a Zionist in 2025? Can diaspora Jews shape Israel's future from afar? Tami and Dash caught up with Romy Zyngier, research scientist, community builder, and head of one of the slates contesting Australian elections at this year's World Zionist Congress.

Learn more: https://thejewishindependent.com.au/once-in-a-generation-chance-to-shape-global-jewish-life 

The Jewish Independent does not endorse the views of or encourage readers to vote for any particular ticket.

Voting remains open until July 27th, requiring just $5 and a few minutes online. Visit this website to find out more. 

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In the aftermath of October 7, Zionism and 'Zionists' have been attacked on university campuses and within progressive circles around the world – sometimes with violent consequences. In this episode, Tami and Dash speak with Adam Kirsch, whose essay in The Jewish Quarterly argues that the Jewish people do not need to defend the term – they need to reclaim it.

Adam Kirsch is an American poet and literary critic. He is on the seminar faculty of Columbia University's Center for American Studies, and has taught at YIVO.

Adam's essay: The Z Word: Reclaiming Zionism

https://jewishquarterly.com/essay/2025/05/the-z-word

Articles discussed in this episode:

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/the-z-word-reclaiming-zionism

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Tami and Dash on Instagram: tami_sussman_bits and dashiel_and_pascoe

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In this episode of Ashamed to Admit (recorded prior to war breaking out between Israel and Iran) Tami and Dash unpack Lee Kofman’s essay about the phenomenon of Jews being perceived as white; the complexity, nuance and discomfort. Inspired by Tom Ben David’s piece for TJI, Dash reflects on the emotional gymnastics of holding two truths at once, while Tami recounts her surreal stay at Australia’s only kosher hotel. From Judea to St Kilda East, this conversation is full of tension, honesty and some much-needed laughter.

Articles mentioned in today’s episode: 

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/this-and-this-holding-contradictory-truths

https://thejewishindependent.com.au/am-i-white-im-not-sure

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